New Covenant Online Sermons

Jack Wilson is our founding pastor and a lifelong resident of Western PA.

Jack graduated from Duquesne University with a degree in music education. He studied at Ligonier Valley Study Center with Dr. R.C. Sproul and then went to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to study with Dr. John H. Gerstner where he received the Master of Arts degree magna cum laude.

We're back. Survived the cycling vacation with fairly minor injuries and very major enjoyment. The beautiful and challenging ride along the CA coast from Carmel by the Sea to Big Sur was a highlight we will never forget.
Speaking of never forgetting...some 15 to 20 years after David made a promise to Jonathan he still remembers it and acts upon it. We will look at the touching story of David and Mephibosheth and reflect on the important matter of covenant faithfulness. Ready to get back to it? I am.

It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of the next chapter we take up in 2 Samuel. Many see it as the very heart of the Old Testament. It contains God's announcement of what Reformed Theologians frequently refer to as the Davidic Covenant. This is what all the other covenants were preparing for and the later prophets explained. The authors of the Gospels and Paul see Jesus clearly in this and rely heavily on it to explain the person and work of our Lord. Exciting Gospel material to expound!

From where we left off in chapter 5 to the end of chapter 8 we have a fairly neat little section concerning the reign of King David. The section begins with a list of family and ends with a list of officials. So, in between, we have a sort of account of the transition from a gathering of tribes to a functioning kingdom with the requisite bureaucracy - yes, back then also. I think we can cover this in the two Lord's Days before my vacation. This week the first half focuses on bringing the Ark of the Covenant up to Jerusalem. Battles, tragedy, celebration, and domestic strife. Something for everyone, eh?

This week we reach what is in many ways the high point of 1&2 Samuel. David becomes king over all of Israel and establishes his capital city - Jerusalem. As some say "it doesn't get any better than this". That would be almost true except it does get much, much better....just not for a long, long time. A descendent far greater than David establishes a city far greater than Jerusalem. We see both the before and after pictures Sunday.

Murder and justice clear the path to being king of all of Israel for David. We will reflect a bit on the violence, the “justification” of it, and true justice as we survey this chapter. We see the true danger in the line, “You can get it wrong and still think that it’s all right.”

This week we see Proverbs 16:18 played out, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." And yet through the morass of pride, jealousy, anger, and revenge God works his plan of consolidating the Kingdom under David. Not without mystery, but also not without meaning and hope.